Ethics- Linda Pastan

        The first thing I noticed about this poem, obviously, was the unique style. Most of the other poems we've read in class have had some sort of structure, even if its odd or different, but this poem was just like a conversation or a paragraph. I really liked this style, but it also made it difficult to realize where the emphasis was or where the main idea was. It also made it less formal and intimidating as other poems, it felt like the author was just telling a story about her life in an everyday conversation. It was refreshing.
       As for the meaning behind it, I like that as well. She talks about in this past how she was asked a question from her teacher about which she would save out of a burning museum: an old women or a Rembrandt painting. Since she hadn't experienced or been passionate about either of these things, she just randomly picked one and went with it. Then at the end shes standing, as an old woman, in a museum seeing the painting for herself and realized that such a decision shouldn't be placed on such a naive person. She says children, which i don't agree with that part. Maybe it's because I'm young right now, but I think she devalues children and their opinions, which can just be as important as an old woman's. Besides that, I did like the message that a person has to experience or have knowledge about something before making such a big decision.

Toads- Philip Larkin

      This poem is about envying other people who live carefree and don't worry about money or jobs or responsibilities. The toad represents this work, that most people base their lives around to pay bills and support their family. Larkin views himself as the type where this "toad" controls his life and stops him from living how he would prefer to. In the end he says, "I don't say, one bodies the other, one's spiritual truth; but I do say it's hard to lose either, when you have both." This is the conflict that he desires to live his life day to day, yet also can't get the future and preparing for it out of his mind. This can be found in most people, and like he says, it's hard to choose just one, when you have the desire for both. They are both so contradictory that it is also hard to balance them out and live both ways. I really enjoyed this poem because it's relatable and uses descriptive and symbolic words that definitely made me think.

Poem :)

After the orange faces become wilted and droopy
And the leaves are covered in snow

We stuff our faces until we lay on the couch full and  a little loopy
Giving thanks and gratefulness to those we know

But why just this one day a year you ask?
Good point, more often then once seems like a simple task.

So give thanks to those around you on a regular basis,
Enjoy and appreciate those familiar faces!

Freebie

Sorry I forgot to post this, but the weekend of Halloween I took my free week. Thanks!

Those winter Sundays- Robert Hayden

The first time I read this poem I took it as a bitter son looking back as his youth and criticizing his father. After I reread it I took it as the complete opposite. I pictured a grown man remembering how his father went unappreciated when he was growing up. He probably was now having to face the same challenges of working and providing for a family that he had taken for granted when he was growing up. My mom always jokes about how "I'll appreciate her someday!" well this is "someday" for this guy. He realizes that he was just expecting to have his house warm and shoes shined when he woke up every morning, and didn't realize that his father was behind this with cracked and aching hands. This poem was pretty straight forward, but still very true. I'm not as blinded as this boy seems to be, but I know I do take a lot of things my parents do for me for granted, and I'm in for a surprise when I start to live on my own, just as this boy in this poem is experiencing.

The Snow Man- Wallace Stevens

        The first line of this poem Wallace makes his main point, "One must have a mind of winter," which relates to the title of the poem and is inferring that a person needs to look through the eyes of a snow man to really appreciate and find the beauty in not only winter and nature, but life as well. People usually get so caught up in life and the rush of everything they're just thinking about how their car isn't going to start, or that it's colder than what they like. By becoming "one" with nature Wallace is saying that we can appreciate all the little things like "pine-trees crusted with snow" and the "junipers shagged with ice." He points out the fact that a snowman can find these joys which are in the exact same place that we are, but we just don't stop to look.
       The last two lines of this poem are very complex and made me think: "And, nothing himself, beholds nothing that is not there and the nothing that is." After reading it out loud to myself quite a few times, it still didn't really make sense and reminded me of some 70's profound saying that nobody really understood. The most I could get out of it was that this whole poem is personifying the snowman as a real object and then brings the reader back to reality saying that since the snowman isn't real neither is the concept of humans ever understanding nature fully. But that's all i got!

A Work of Artifice- Marge Piercy

        After looking a little more into the background of Marge Piercy's life, this poem definitely made more sense. She was born in 1936 and her family went through the Great Depression. She had raised in a racially segregated neighborhood. Her Jewish grandmother took care of her, along with her mother who was imaginative and outspoken which was unusual for that time period. So she was raised among many stereotypes that were repressed and judged for their race, religion, gender, etc. She became active in civil rights, and then started writing poems about woman's rights.
         The bonsai tree in this poem represents women who are cut back and made to look pretty, instead of being able to reach a potentially huge level, even of eighty feet tall. She talks about how men have the mind set that women are lucky to have the protection that they provide, the tree having a pot to grow in, and it is expected to remain loyal to their "wifely duties", becoming domestic and weak as she puts it. The poem starts out to seemingly be just about the tree, but as it progresses she hints more and more that is about womens rights adding in words like "domestic and weak," "crippled brain," "hair in curlers," and "hands you love to touch," personifying the tree progressively more as a woman. I can definitely see how this poem would have become extremely popular at the time because women really didn't speak out, and if they did they were ignored and disrespected. Now that this isn't as much of an issue because we've come so far in increasing women's rights, this poem didn't really hit me that hard, but I still definitely liked the style and idea behind it!

On Reading Poems to a Senior Class At South High - DC Berry

       Poetry is one of those subjects that most students stay as far away as possible from because it seems too deep and unrelateable to a young person's age and life. It's poems like these and with this kind of structure that draws students into reading poetry and even liking it. Berry's style is very conversational and loose, which makes the reader listen and feel comfortable. He uses modern day language, but still with symbolism and description to pull the reader in and create mental images.

       When he says "I noticed them sitting there as orderly as frozen fish in a package" it makes me think about my psychology class, and Mrs Langford, and how society (and the school system) teaches us to be and learn in a certain way, which is usually all the same. As the the poem reader starts to read the poetry to the class he is even surprised that it affects them until the "water" reaches his own ears. Just as they are starting to take it all in and understand and discuss the bell rang, "puncturing a hole in the door where we all leaked out." For me, there was a very vivid visual of a gymnasium where a guest speaker was reading poetry and the students were in there with the expectation that it was just a waste of time, but as he started to read to them, the room started filling up as they all started to discuss an get excited. Then, just like most of our assemblies, they forgot about it and moved on to their next class to focus on something else.

          Although this poem wasn't too hard to interpret, I still really liked the message and writing style.

Aquainted with the Night- Robert Frost

       The theme of night that runs throughout the poem is a symbol for loneliness and depression from something he may have done in the past or something he feels has ruined his life and left him feeling that it's meaningless. That dark mental image of night symbolizes the darkness and depression happening in his own life. He says he has, "outwalked the furthest city light," meaning that he is far beyond any hope for happiness or the belonging to a happy life. The light symbolizing all these ideas and is a huge contrast to all the darkness in the rest of the poem. The man has been wandering endlessly and feels that as he passes through these towns at night that nobody can understand what he is going through and not even the watchmen because he drops his eyes as he walks by. Maybe he feels like the people know what wrong he did or the reason behind why  he is depressed and doesn't want to face them or try to explain himself. It really shows his separation from the world when he says, "when far away an interrupted cry came over houses from another street, but not to call me back or say good-by." That shows that little bit of hope that maybe someone was calling for him or caring to understand him, but then realizes they are calling for another reason; leaving him in the darkness again. People who are depressed also usually lose track of time or resent time as he talks about the "luminary clock." He feels like he's just going through the motions of life and time just keeps continuing and hanging over his head in the sky, while he's wishing it would either get better or stop.
       I actually did really like the style and symbolism in this poem though. There is a steady rhythm throughout and repetition with the very first and last line which makes it seem like an endless cycle that this man is in. I loved the descriptions the author gave that created an image and connection to what was going on.

My Fear -Lawrence Raab

      Although this poem was pretty straight forward and didn't take too much thinking to decipher it, I still thought it was interesting and written well. I liked that the author personified the idea of fear as a person, "Mr.Fear." I thought of a dark and mysterious person, kind of cliche for the grim reaper idea. I thought the 3rd stanza was interesting when he says: "Maybe he smiles when he finds the right one. Maybe he's sorry." Usually you picture the grim reaper being ready and willing to do his job, not hesitating and hoping he doesn't have to inflict that kind of pain. It reminds me of those dreams where they're so intense and scary, yet you still know it's a dream but it wakes you up eventually and stays with you. Each one of these he adds to the "list that keeps getting longer."
       I thought it was interesting that the title was singular, "My Fear," instead of the multiple fears that he talks about in the poem. I think this is because his fear is the fear of fears... if that makes sense. Mr.Fear is who he fears which includes all the other fears that he inflicts upon him.


Word Count: 164

Little Apocalypse

         This whole poem is personifying (if that's a word...?) the life of the smaller things that we don't really notice, and then making their lives and world just as important as ours and even able to relate to. I thought it was interesting that the title and many things throughout the poem contradict each other. The most widely known definition for apocalypse is the end of the world- originating from Christianity- so obviously that's not a "little" event.This could signify that these worlds are destroyed on a daily basis by humans, the fire and clear-out could be referring to human's "bug bombs" and sprays. It's little because it's so insignificant as us, but still an apocalypse to those species. The author also says that butterflies are out on patrol, which butterflies are usually known for being a delicate non-harmful insect, and many more examples. I was confused by the last line, but when I looked up the four horses of the apocalypse I found out it was in the bible, which really pulled the poem together and I made sense of it all. The four horses are signifying conquest, war, famine, and death. Each of the butterfly, ant, dung beetle, and robin are referring to one of the horses. Without this background knowledge I didn't really find this poem that interesting, but after piecing it all together I really enjoyed it!

Still Memory - Mary Karr

        In the poem, "Still Memory", the author talks about the past and what was a typical day during her childhood. She talks about her father coming home from work early in the morning, her mother making coffee, and sister walking on the bathroom tiles. In reality Mary Karr's father did work in the oil industry and her mother was a stay-at-home artist. Her family struggled for money, as it says in the poem as well. It says that the only heat they had was generated from their body and mentions the water boiling water in a "battered old drip pot." So I thought that was interesting that this poem was most likely a non-fiction piece.
       There are a lot of parts that contradict the title of "Still Memory." Movement is found throughout like when she says her sister "steps fast" and how the town where she lives is beginning to "grow animate, its pulleys and levers set in motion." I believe this contradiction is here because she looks back and feels like she was frozen in time when her life was a struggle and it was the same uneventful routine everyday. The only way she got through it and coped was from her writing as she says in the last stanza, "My ten-year-old hand reaches/ for a pen to record it all/ as would become long habit." This was her recording that frozen time period of her childhood.

Blackberries for Amelia- Richard Wilbur

Although this poem was pretty straight forward and didn't have a lot of deeper meaning than the obvious, I love the writing style and how everything flows so well and creates an imagine in your head. There's a contrast between the beginning of the poem where the author describes the beauty of nature and how the world appears today and then later about how the stars will one day turn to blackness. This poem is saying that we need to appreciate what we have today, and make the best out of the bad. I believe that the reason he talks about blackberries is because when they are first picked they are bitter, but once they are made into jam or pie they become sweet and delicious. Its like the saying, "When life hands you lemons, make lemonade." It's saying to live in the moment because you never know what will happen in the future. This isn't a dark and sad poem like the others too! Yay! :)

In Blackwater Woods -Mary Oliver

    Although this poem isn't specific about what the author is talking about (death, the forest, etc.) I believe is about a loss. That was my first thought and after the discussion in class, I questioned it, but in the end I still have to go with my initial thought. As I looked deeper into the poem when the trees are turning into pillars and talking about light, that could easily symbolize heaven or somewhere greater than earth. Then as someone, I don't remember who (I think Tony?), said that fulfillment is usually achieved as a person is dying because they have fulfilled their life's purpose and move on. Then the cattails bursting and floating away symbolize the end of their lives along with the end of the person's life who died in this poem.

      The last three things in the poem that are the "three things you must be able to do" are important, but I definitely think there are more than these three things and more significant things as well. These all relate back to a person and what I thought was that a person can only be happy if there's another person there to rely on, which seems a little desperate and sad to me. I believe that happiness is based on the individual and not someone else.

      I actually did like this poem though, it made me think and it was interesting to hear how many different ways it could be taken by the rest of the class.

(250 words)

To Myself- W.S. Merwin

      After reading this poem for the first time I thought Merwin was talking about a death or someone close to him that had changed, after going back and reading it the second time I noticed the title and put it all together that he was talking about himself. He talks about how he has significantly changed over time, and forgotten who he used to be, except for the little glimpses. It's easy to get caught up in the every day life and not be true to yourself and morals, which is what is happening in this poem.
       The structure of this poem seems completely random at first, how the lines just cut off in the middle of sentences. Which I believe symbolizes that it can be confusing to try and get back to the "real" you and just focus on that. Also the beginning starts out pretty simple with the word "you" repeating a lot. Then I had to re-read the end a couple times because it seems like an oxymoron when he says, "who speak in the words but you are not what they say you who are not lost when I do not find you." When you can't find something then it is considered lost. It saying that your true self is really there and not lost, but a lot of times it's hard to find. These last 5 lines are even more randomly cut off then the rest of the poem because it shows that life starts out very simple and pure and gets more and more complicated as you continue.
       I really like this poem and believe it's very true. Even though I'm young I can still relate.




(282 words)- posted at 11:40. Yay! ;) My time zone thing is off and it says its a hour later... idk how to fix that.

Evening Concert, Saint-Chapelle: Response

         After reading this poem for the first time I appreciated the descriptive language and the images it created, but I didn't really understand where it was all coming from. Ana presented this poem to the class and gave us some background knowledge on Saint-Chapelle and I learned that it was a very elaborate and detailed cathedral in Paris made up of stained glass walls with mostly blue and red colors. I further researched it later and learned that it was created during the height of the Gothic architecture movement in the medieval era. Which was known for some of the most detailed and beautiful buildings ever created, even to this day. Then Ana also played music by Vivaldi and Brahm. I'm not a huge classical music listener so this really helped to understand the poem as well, and imagining what it would've been like to be in that cathedral.

          Then after reading it a second time it all came to life and I understood a lot better. I believe that the the thick black lines are symbolism for the lead that holds all the stained glass together. When he says, "in shapes of shield and cross and strut and brace, that held the holy glowing fantasy together" I picture blue and red stained glass in the shapes of shields and crosses with light shining through down onto the orchestra and the music bringing the image and glass to life for the listeners.

         This poem just shows how much a little research and background knowledge can really help to understand sometimes difficult poems. Ana did a really good job at creating an image and by the end of the class discussion I think that almost everyone had an idea of what this poem was about and understood the point that John Updike was making.

(Word count: 303)

The Great Gatsby

           The book The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, is about a man named Nick who moved to New York and experiences "The American Dream" but soon realizes all the scandals that come with it. Nick lives in a wealthy, but unknown area, with the exception of his neighbor; Gatsby who throws well-known parties every weekend in his mansion. His cousin, Daisy, lives with her husband, Tom, in a neighborhood nearby where Nick traveled one day only to discover the tangled love web between the couple. Tom was having an affair with Myrtle, who lives in a lower neighborhood on the way to NYC and Nick meets a woman named Jordan who he begins a relationship with. She later talks to Gatsby after they were invited to one of the parties and learns he has a long term love for Nick's cousin Daisy and has been trying to impress her for years. Nick agrees to arrange an environment for them to meet only leading to more disaster after they fall in love again. Tom can tell that Gatsby is in love with his wife and, though hypocritical, confronts Gatsby about the affair convincing him that him and his wife will stay together because of their past together; which Daisy agreed to. On a car ride home Daisy, ironically, crashes her car into Myrtle, killing her. Gatsby takes the blame and then is later shot by Myrtle's husband. Nick ends up leaving New York to get away from all the lust and greed that is found in the wealthy area and learns it's not worth it.
         This book was a little confusing just because there were so many characters that were all connected in some way. It helped to code the text as reminders of who's who and how they are connected. This book was filled with irony, which makes the story as known and famous as it is today. The language was much easier than the Heart of Darkness, which was nice, but still made me have to think about what was behind the text and what Fitzgerald was really trying to convey. I didn't really have any prior knowledge to what the book was about, and i didn't think it would be half as interesting as it was, so that was definitely good, and it surprised me the whole way through which kept me interested.

The Kite Runner

         The book, The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, was the depressing story a young boy named Amir raised by his wealthy dad, Baba, in Kabul, Afghanistan who grows up being friends with their servants son, Hassan. After a kite flying tournament Hassan "ran" the kite (went to go find it after the string had been cut) he was cornered and raped by a young boy who was also wealthy. All of this happening while Amir was standing behind a wall watching and did nothing. Over filled with guilt he staged that Hassan had stolen from him and Hassan and his father left the family. Amir and Baba traveled to America after the Russian invasion of Afghanistan put them in danger. Amir made a life for himself and got married after Baba's death, and traveled back to Afghanistan one last time on behalf of his fathers friends request. Upon arriving he heard the news that Hassan had been shot by a soldier leaving his son an orphan and Amir was asked to go find his son, Sohrab, who was in a bad area and bring him to safety. After traveling the dangerous journey he found the boy in the care of the man who had raped Hassan all those years before, and after a fight rescued the boy. Throughout a long process, and the resistance of Sohrab, Amir brought him back to America where him and his wife adopted the young boy who became depressed and didn't say a word until one afternoon Amir taught him the joy of kite flying.
           I loved, loved, loved this book! Even if it was really depressing, with hardly a happy ending, I couldn't put it down the whole way through. I even thought this was a true story, until I read the acknowledgments, because he writes with such detail over every single event it makes the reader really connect to the characters and sympathize for them. It's amazing to me that someone can create a story with that much detail without it being a true story. The events that happened and are happening in Afghanistan aren't really talked about in detail much, so it was really interesting to hear what happens to people everyday and how one moment can affect the rest of their lives. It was a lot like the Holocaust in Germany, but just not as widely known. These people went through just as much, if not more, and it's good this book brought awareness to it. 

Heart of Darkness

         The book, Heart of Darkness, by Joseph Conrad, was written over 100 years ago about a man named Marlow and his struggle with the morals behind imperialism and how the natives were treated when he took a job in Africa as a captain of a steamboat. As they were waiting for the boat to be fixed he noticed the natives that they had enslaved were malnourished, under paid, and over worked. As soon as the boat was fixed they ventured up the Congo River to meet a man named Kurtz, who was a respected and powerful man in the business, to find out he was slowly dying. He later learned one of his main goals was to wipe out all the natives, or as he called them "brutes", which were his last words before dying. Although this book was difficult to read and understand, I liked the story behind it. It's rare to hear stories of white men who showed any sympathy towards the natives and imperializing their land; especially someone who had some authority like Marlow did. 
           "No. I don't like work. I had rather laze about and think of all the fine things that can be done. I don't like work-no man does-but I like what is in the work-the chance to find yourself" was my favorite quote because it seems that most of the other white men in the book dedicated their lives to their work and didn't care who they stepped on or hurt to get a level higher. That's what made Marlow unique; he saw the bigger picture of getting life lessons out of his work and not just a pay check and also learned the value of a human. Not saying he accepted the natives completely and saw them as equal, but just seeing them as more than an animal.
            I could make a lot of connections between the books I read in class last year and to this book. I also got an edition where there were other respected writers and people who wrote their views and thoughts on the book. After reading a couple of those it helped me understand the book a lot better, mostly because it was more modern language. Even though it was a little hard to understand at first I loved all the details and different styles of descriptions he put into this book. It helped create a picture and understand what it was like back then. I had to re-read over and over but in the end I think I got the main idea and point of this book.